


Another Chance

by J_J_Janson



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, First Kiss, First Meetings, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 11:17:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15118247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_J_Janson/pseuds/J_J_Janson
Summary: When Mia saves Nephenee's village from bandits, it's love at first sight. But Mia leaves soon after, and Nephenee thinks she's missed the chance of a lifetime. At least until they both end up in the Greil Mercenaries.





	Another Chance

Nephenee stood in line behind the other farmers, a basketful of her family’s produce prepared for the bandits controlling her village. Her hands shook, not from the weight but from her fear. All she could see in front of her were stiff backs and shaking shoulders, a line of other farmers waiting to deliver their harvest to the bandits who’d holed up in the village head’s house. The simple cabin wasn’t any larger than any of the others, or in any way distinguishable from Nephenee’s own home, but it seemed to radiate menace from the brigands inside. 

The roving bandits had arrived in the village out of nowhere, and had cut down one of Nephenee’s neighbors in cold blood to prove a point. At their order, the body still lay in the middle of the road, blood soaking into the dirt. Their cruelty made clear, the bandits ordered the villagers to gather their food and present it to them. 

Soon enough, Nephenee was standing at the door and they were beckoning her inside the house, but her feet wouldn’t move. Footsteps approached her, but the stench of the bandits reached her before they did. A couple of them skulked up to her, and their sneers were all Nephenee could see. Their sneers and their swords. “Well, well, girly. Don’t you wanna say hi? Come on in. We won’t bite.”

Nephenee could only work up a meek squeak in response. 

“Don’t be so shy. We’re just gonna have a bite, and we’ll be out of your hair before the army shows up. A pretty girl like you would be welcome company.” The bandit who’d been speaking got right up in her face, sneering like a wolf looking down at a trapped squirrel. 

Nephenee didn’t know what to do, so she quickly handed him the basket with a, “Here ya are,” before she began to backpedal. 

The bandit stared at the basket of vegetables Nephenee had handed him in confusion for a few moments before finally tossing it aside and drawing his sword. “Come on back, missy. We don’t wanna leave another corpse in the middle of town if we can help it.”

Nephenee shook her head, her eyes searching about. Finally, she settled on something, and began reaching for a nearby rake that had been abandoned on the ground. She couldn’t find any words to say, so she let the rake she threatened the bandit with speak for her. 

That set the bandit laughing, even as several of the other bandits stepped out of the house. He turned back to them. “Stand back boys, I’ll give you a show.”

As he turned back to Nephenee, all he could see was the rake swinging towards him, dominating his vision for the brief moment before it smashed into his head.

He cursed as he was knocked a couple of steps to the side, clutching at his bleeding forehead. “You’ll regret that.” He stomped his foot down as if he were about to rush forward, startling Nephenee. She let out a yip of fear, and clutched the rake to her chest. That set him laughing once again. “Come on girly, if you just apologize on your hands and knees, I’ll let this go.”

Nephenee looked back and forth between the bandit she was facing and the ones behind him. Most were laughing and jeering along with the one fighting Nephenee, but a couple were eying her warily, ready to step in if needed. She didn’t know where that surge of strength had come from, but seeing all those armed men who had already killed one person today made Nephenee seriously consider their offer.

“If you’re looking for a fight, villain, I’ve got enough for the lot of you.” 

Nephenee turned towards the voice that had spoken up behind her, and there stood a woman about Nephenee’s age. She casually held a sword in one hand, and nonchalantly stretched her sword arm as she stood there. She was lithe and cat-like, with lovely blue hair and sparkling green eyes that never left her opponents. She seemed comfortable with combat, but was still alert. 

“You wanna pick a fight with us too, girly?” The bandit who had been staring down Nephenee forgot all about her and took a step towards the new girl. 

“Yep!” the girl chirped. “I’m Mia, and I’m searching for my nemesis, my ultimate rival. You all seem like weak bullies, but there’s enough of you that you might put up a good fight.”

“I don’t care who you are but-” The bandit wasn’t able to get another word in as he suddenly brought his sword up to block Mia’s attack. He was suddenly on the defensive, overwhelmed by Mia’s abrupt flurry of blows. Before anyone even knew what was happening, Mia landed a blow on him. He clutched at his gut, then collapsed to the ground. He tried to curl up, but then went limp and stopped moving. 

The wary bandits Nephenee had noted earlier were already rushing towards Mia, but the rest just stared in slack-jawed surprise. 

Mia stepped back just a moment before a sword would have cut her neck, and raised her sword up to parry a blow coming from the side. She kicked forward, catching the first bandit in the gut, then focused her attention on the other bandit, lashing out at him with a flurry of blows. Her eyes were sharp with concentration, but she had a big grin as she faced skilled opponents.

While Mia seemed to ready to handle the pair of bandits who had attacked her first, the rest were starting to gather their bearings and draw their weapons. 

Nephenee didn’t know how many bandits Mia could take on at once.

But she did know that these bandits had invaded her town and threatened her and her neighbors. 

With a flick of her wrist, Nephenee smashed her rake against the ground, breaking off the tool and leaving just a pointed stick. Now Nephenee was basically wielding a spear. With it in hand, she rushed the group of bandits before they could overwhelm Mia.

A hasty lunge got the shoulder of a bandit whose attention had been on Mia’s fight. Nephenee pulled her spear back, then swung it at the next bandit, leaving a damp spot on the back of his head. The first clutched his bleeding shoulder and the second dropped to the ground. 

But there were still three more, and their attention was suddenly on Nephenee.

And then there were only two, as one collapsed to the ground. As he fell, Mia’s short form came into view behind him, as did the bodies of the two bandits she had dispatched. 

Relief overwhelmed Nephenee, and she didn’t even see Mia defeat the last two bandits.

Mia took a step towards Nephenee, offering a hand, but before she could she was picked up by a crowd of villagers. They lifted her onto their shoulders and began parading her around. 

The village head brought as many as could fit into his house to celebrate Mia with cheers and a feast for the hero. Nephenee managed to slip into a back corner, watching the swordswoman who had saved her life shake hands and answer questions. 

“Oh yeah, I’ve been training all my life.”

“I just wander around, searching for new opponents.”

“I’ve faced my fair share of bandits like that. I take every fight seriously, but I never expect to lose.”

Nephenee couldn’t help but stare in awe of the comfort and ease with which Mia carried herself. There was no hesitation, no insecurity, no anxiety. She lived her life boldly and her own way. 

All Nephenee could do was stand in the corner.

Mia was served some of the best cooking the village had to offer. It wasn’t anything too impressive, but Mia ate enough for three. The food seemed to disappear as soon as it was put in front of her, but she finally sat back and let out a sigh of contentment. 

A guest room was prepared for Mia, and the audience was asked to return to their homes. 

Nephenee lay awake in her bed thinking about Mia. Her smile, her laugh, her arms, her confidence. While Nephenee didn’t necessarily want to be her, she felt drawn to Mia in some way.  Making sense of all of those thoughts kept Nephenee up all night.

Morning came without a moment of sleep, and with the dawn came a farewell party for Mia. As hastily thrown together as the dinner of the previous night, it was mostly just an excuse to feed Mia. And a hope of bribing her to stay in the village as a new guardian. But after her meal, Mia gave her thanks and made her way out. 

Nephenee stood at the back of the crowd that bid Mia farewell, still grappling with her feelings as Mia waved back at the crowd even as she walked backwards into the distance.

***

Nephenee still felt uncomfortable among the Greil Mercenaries. She was grateful to Brom for being a familiar and friendly face, but she felt reluctant to speak to anyone else. She was just a country girl, and worried she’d be mocked if she spoke up. Commander Ike had reassured her that all she needed to be able to do was fight. But Nephenee still felt like eyes were always on her, like a single word would shatter a delicate balance that kept her from being laughed at. 

That said, Nephenee still stood on the battlefield. 

All around her, her comrades were fighting the soldiers of Daein. Titania and Oscar plowed their horses through a line of soldiers. Ike and Boyd rushed through the gap they left, fighting off the remaining enemies. Soren stood back, blasting enemies at key points that kept the battle going in their favor. Lethe and Mordecai had shifted into their animal forms and were mauling soldiers left and right. 

And Mia stood amidst a circle of spearmen. She bounced, a hint of joy in her step, even as she faced down impossible odds. 

Nephenee still hadn’t repaid her for saving her village all those months ago. Nephenee still hadn’t spoken to her since joining the army. Nephenee still hadn’t figured out how she felt about Mia. 

But she knew she could fight.

***

The circle of spearmen slowly closed in on Mia, ensuring she couldn’t slip past any of them. Mia’s eyes darted back and forth, a fox searching for a momentary weakness in the hunters that cornered it. One soldier in particular had sharper eyes than the others, watched her more intensely than the others. And Mia knew if any of them got her, it would be him.

And then his eyes rolled back, and he fell forward. A blue-haired woman with a halberd stood behind him, quickly turning to attack the two spearmen that stood next to the one she had taken down. Her slash had the simplicity of the swing of a hoe. But she put real strength behind the blow, splitting her opponent’s spear shaft and cutting him down. She pulled her halberd back, and the shaft smacked into another spearman’s gut, leaving him gasping on his knees.

Mia shook herself from her reverie, and found that the soldiers around her were also staring at the blue-haired woman whose hair billowed around her like a cloud of flower petals. 

With a smirk, Mia charged at the remaining spearmen, making quick work of her opponents.

Soon enough, she and the blue-haired woman stood alone amidst the wounded and surrendering. 

Mia smacked the other woman on the back. “That was great work! We should spar some time!”

The other woman seemed like she wanted to say something, but then gave a mute nod. 

“What’s your name? I wanna be able to find you whenever I get the urge to spar. You’re really strong, and I want a new sparring partner for when Ike is busy. So what is it?” Mia looked at Nephenee expectantly.

Hoping a quiet  response would hide her accent, Nephenee whispered, “It’s Nephenee.”

“Nelly huh? Cute name.”

Nephenee looked distressed. “It’s not Nelly. It’s Nephenee.” 

“Your name’s Humphrey? Nelly sounds cuter.”

Nephenee found herself bristling. She wasn’t angry at Mia, but at herself. She raised her voice to a normal speaking volume. “It’s not Humphrey, it’s Nephenee.”

Mia nodded. “Sorry sorry, Nephenee. That’s a really pretty name. I hope to see you again soon!”

With that, Mia charged back into the battle. Nephenee was grateful, because her anxiety was going wild. Having to correct Mia twice left her dizzy. She’d been running on adrenaline from the fight, but speaking up felt scarier than fighting Daein soldiers. It seemed irrational, but it was what Nephenee lived with.

And Mia hadn’t even commented on her accent. Maybe she just hadn’t noticed. But she could at any time. 

Nephenee wanted to spend more time with Mia, but she didn’t want to ruin her okay first impression.

***

“Hey Nephenee!” Mia greeted, causing Nephenee to almost jump out of her skin. “You wanna spar today?”

This had to be the fourth or fifth time Mia had asked Nephenee for a sparring match. “Oh, I um, I don’t think I’d give ya a challenge today. May be another time would be better.”

But Mia wasn’t going to take no for an answer. She grabbed Nephenee by the arm and began to lead her to the sparring grounds. “Come on Nephenee, you’re so cool! You’ll be fine!”

Following meekly behind, all Nephenee could do was sweat nervously. She’d been trying to work up the courage to talk to Mia, but before she could Mia would find her and challenge her. And this time, Mia had decided to drag Nephenee along. 

Around them, the camp bustled with life. Their forces had only grown as they continued their journey. Just when Nephenee had learned everyone’s names, more people showed up, and by this point she’d given up on knowing who everyone was. But Mia stood out to her. She shone like the sun on the battlefield, and was always a source of warmth around the camp. 

Suddenly self-conscious about being arm-in-arm with Mia, Nephenee felt her cheeks light up. Hopefully her helmet would cover it up.

And then they stood at the sparring grounds. The area was simple and unremarkable except for a few training dummies, blunted weapons, and a patch of flat dirt for matches. Like the one Mia wanted to have.

Mia let go of Nephenee’s arm and, with a bounce in her step, crossed to the other side of the impromptu arena, and drew her sword. 

Reluctantly, Nephenee pulled her halberd from her back. In response, Mia waved at her and said, “You don’t have to hold back. Rhys can patch us up if we get hurt!” Then, with a big grin on her face, she called, “And now let’s start!” With that, she sprinted towards Nephenee.

Starting with her sword near her hip, Mia slashed diagonally upwards once she came in reach of Nephenee. All Nephenee could do in response was to block the attack.

Mia took a couple steps back, and then lunged.

Twisting her hands, Nephenee was able to swing her halberd in front of her and knock the attack to the side. 

Undeterred, Mia rained three downward slashes at Nephenee’s head. She caught each of the attacks on her halberd, but had no room to counter.

Mia stepped back again, but this time she lowered her sword. “Nephenee, are you okay? You haven’t been fighting back.”

Nephenee’s instinctive response was a simple reply of ‘Ah’m fine, don’t worry.’ But the words wouldn’t come out. She was breathless, and she couldn’t think of a response. Her face was growing hotter and Mia was staring at her. Any time Nephenee tried to speak up, her thoughts were overwhelmed by her insecurities about her accent and the words fled from her. 

Mia grasped Nephenee by the shoulders. “Hey, you okay? You don’t look so good.”

Nephenee still couldn’t find the words for a reply.

“You’re a shy one, aren’t you?” Mia stepped back. “Okay, how about I do the talking, and you can just nod or shake your head.” 

It took Nephenee a second for the words to sink in, but she nodded.

“Are you nervous about sparring with me?”

Nephenee nodded.

“Do you like sparring?”

Nephenee had to consider her response. She didn’t have much experience. She’d gone straight from the farm to the militia to the prison camps. No time to spar in all that time. But since joining the Greil Mercenaries, she’d had a couple of sparring matches. The ones with Commander Ike were a bit scary because he was so strong, but Nephenee had a good time sparring with Oscar and Titania. Finally, she nodded.

Before Mia could ask another question, Nephenee spoke up. “Ah’m sorry. Ah just get nervous talkin’ to people. You especially. You saved my village from bandits.”

Mia was suddenly bashful. “I’m sorry but um. Which one was that? I’ve done that a few times.”

Nephenee’s laughter rang out like birdsong, filling the air around her and Mia. And Mia found herself answering with her own laughter. 

After catching their breaths, Nephenee described where her village was and when the attack had taken place. 

“Oh okay, that really brings back memories. The food was great. Do you think you could cook it up?”

Nephenee thought for a moment before nodding. 

That put a cocky grin on Mia’s face. “Well then, if I can beat you in this sparring match, how about you cook me some dinner?”

Nephenee responded with one word. “If.”

The two drew their weapons and resumed their fight.

***

Nephenee and Mia were given a hero’s welcome upon their arrival at Nephenee’s village. Brom had arrived earlier to get back to his family, and had ensured his friends would be given a warm welcome. 

Hand-in-hand, the pair strode into the village greeted by cheers and applause to welcome the returning heroes. Mia basked in the moment, waving at the crowd, while Nephenee blushed brightly and hid her face behind a curtain of hair. 

They were led to an open table that had been set in the village square with seats for everyone. Mia and Nephenee were placed side by side in front of the banquet, a positive buffet set out in front of them. 

While Mia ate with wild abandon, scarfing down as much food as she could, it took Nephenee a while to get eating. Many eyes had been locked on her when they first sat down, but as time passed the other diners began to focus more on their own food and small conversations.  When she was sure that she wasn’t being gawked at anymore, Nephenee finally began to eat. 

But once she started, she put Mia’s appetite to shame, leaving a pile of dirty dishes so high the other diners couldn’t see her any longer.

With Mia’s own significant pile of dirty dishes, the two were given a fair bit of privacy. 

“Your village is nice. It’ll be nice staying here while I wait for Commander Ike to settle his business with the peace talks. You can join me if you want, in the Greil Mercenaries. It’d be nice to have a serious sparring partner besides Commander Ike.” Mia looked away. “And I’d miss you.”

Nephenee shook her head. “Naw, I can’t. Ah’ve missed bein’ on the farm. And ah’ve had enough of war for a while. May be when muh family gets the farm back how it was before the war, ah’ll reconsider. But that won’t be for another few harvests.”

Mia leaned in and gave Nephenee a light kiss on the lips. “Well, let’s make the most of our time together.” She gave Nephenee an inviting look, then led her away from the table by the hand. 

They were walking towards Nephenee’s house, where they’d have the place all to themselves while everyone else in the village sat around eating and chatting for a few more hours. Mia led Nephenee inside, then began rummaging through her bag.

Nephenee’s heart was beating fast. Was this going to be what she thought it’d be? Her first time? Sure, the town was distracted, but still, doing something like this in the daylight hours was awfully bold. Nephenee couldn’t help but be excited.

Until Mia tossed a training halberd over to Nephenee. “Alright, now let’s burn off all that food with a good workout!”

Ah. Yeah. Of course Mia would just have fighting, sparring, and training on the brain. 

But as Nephenee followed her girlfriend out back, she decided she wouldn’t have Mia any other way. 


End file.
